Colombia vs. USA: Winners and Losers from International Friendly
Colombia defeated the United States 2-1 at Craven Cottage in London thanks to two second-half goals in front of a boisterous yellow-clad group of supporters.
Carlos Bacca and Teofilo Gutierrez found the back of the net to earn the win for Los Cafeteros after Jozy Altidore put the Americans ahead in the 10th minute on a penalty.
After the 30th minute, the Colombians dominated the number of scoring chances in the match due to the play of James Rodriguez and Juan Cuadrado. When the final whistle blew, the World Cup quarterfinalists celebrated a deserved win.
Here's a look at the winners and losers from the come-from-behind win by Colombia.
Winner: Teofilo Gutierrez
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Teofilo Gutierrez had a major role in both second-half goals scored by Jose Pekerman's side. In the 60th minute, he did not play the ball because he was offside. This kept the play alive for Carlos Bacca to score.
Gutierrez finished off a strong second half with the game-winning goal in the 87th minute after he got behind Fabian Johnson on the left side of the box.
Although he scored the final goal of the match, Gutierrez should be lauded more for his instincts in the box on Bacca's strike.
Had he attempted to contact the ball, the play would've been ruled dead. Bacca's goal, which followed a terrific run around the defense, would have been brought back by the referee if the 29-year-old had not made the smart decision.
Loser: Second-Half Form of the United States
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The United States continued a concerning trend when it conceded the late winner to Gutierrez. For the third consecutive match, the Yanks allowed a goal in the 86th minute or later, per ESPN's Paul Carr.
For a side looking to improve on its World Cup results, that statistic is simply unacceptable. Late substitutions disrupting the rhythm of the team can be looked at as a cause of this, but the players out on the pitch must be aware of their responsibilities for every second of the match.
This time around, Fabian Johnson and Julian Green were to blame as neither defended Gutierrez on his way to scoring the game-winning goal. Johnson was caught too far in front of the Colombian player, while Green was too late getting back to defend.
One thing to keep in mind regarding this particular incident is Green entered the match a minute before the goal in favor of DeAndre Yedlin. This move ultimately came back to haunt Jurgen Klinsmann right away as he looked to chase the victory instead of hold for the draw.
Winner: Rubio Rubin
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Before all hell broke loose on the defensive side of the ball for the Americans, they were treated to a good debut from 18-year-old forward Rubio Rubin.
Rubin showed no fear when the ball was sent into him in the box, but he did lack the finishing touch on two occasions. His best chance came in the 47th minute, when he connected with an Alejandro Bedoya cross. Despite not finishing off his header, Rubin did show good instincts on the play.
The recent games for the United States have been about Klinsmann finding young players who can make a difference moving forward. With his performance Friday night, Rubin earned himself another chance to impress the United States manager.
Loser: Pablo Armero
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Early in the first half, Colombia conceded a penalty on a handball by defender Pablo Armero.
The 28-year-old AC Milan player clearly handled the ball in the box after dueling with Rubin following a corner kick. Armero's error led to the United States' goal, as Jozy Altidore finished from the spot in the 10th minute.
The mistake was a bad one by Armero, but he was taken off the hook by his teammates in the second half. Although he was able to breathe easy after the match, one has to wonder why his hand was left dangling in the air to make contact with the ball in the first place.
Winner: Alejandro Bedoya
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Alejandro Bedoya was the best player in the American attack Friday night at Craven Cottage. His set-piece delivery was strong, and he even worked well when tracking back on defense.
Bedoya had a rough World Cup, but he has responded well in recent matches. His performance against Colombia was his best for the Yanks since leaving Brazil.
While the other midfielders in the squad were kept quiet for most of the match, Bedoya provided the Americans with a consistent threat on the left wing. He could have had an assist early in the second half, but Rubin's header was off target.
With plenty of new faces entering the United States squad, Bedoya has kept his place in the starting 11 thanks to his abilities on both sides of the ball.
Loser: Jozy Altidore
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When the United States was in need of a forward to hold up play in the second half, Altidore was nowhere to be found.
Although he did great work in the first 30 minutes of the match, the Sunderland forward was not visible enough in the final third during key stretches.
He does deserve a bit of credit for scoring from the spot in the 10th minute, but any forward can finish a chance like that.
Even late in the second half, Altidore was not there to create a chance. Instead, it was Bobby Wood who stormed in on goal in an attempt to force an error out of an incoming Camilo Vargas.
If Altidore wants to be a difference-maker for 90 minutes, he needs to win more possession battles. Little things like that would help limit the number of attacks for opposing teams.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
